The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit public policy organization dedicated to promoting the democratic potential of today's open, decentralized global Internet. Our mission is to conceptualize, develop, and implement public policies to preserve and enhance free expression, privacy, open access, and other democratic values in the new and increasingly integrated communications medium.
CDT pursues its mission through research and public policy development in a consensus-building process based on convening and operating broad-based working groups composed of public interest and commercial representatives of divergent views to explore solutions to critical policy issues. In addition, CDT promotes its own policy positions in the United States and globally through public policy advocacy, online grassroots organizing with the Internet user community and public education campaigns, and litigation, as well as through the development of technology standards and online information resources.
Work on our mission is guided by the following principles:
1. Unique Nature of the Internet: We believe that the open, decentralized, user-controlled, and shared resource nature of the Internet creates unprecedented opportunities for enhancing democracy and civil liberties. A fundamental goal of our work is seeking public policy solutions that preserve these unique qualities and thereby maximize the democratizing potential of the Internet.
2. Freedom of Expression: The Center for Democracy and Technology champions the right of individuals to communicate, publish and obtain an unprecedented array of information on the Internet. We oppose governmental censorship and other threats to the free flow of information. As an effective alternative to government controls, we believe that a diversity of technology tools can empower families and individuals on the Internet to communicate freely and make choices about the information they receive.
3. Privacy: CDT is working for individual privacy on the Internet. We believe that maintaining privacy and freedom of association on the Internet requires the development of public policies and technology tools that give people the ability to take control of their personal information online and make informed, meaningful choices about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.
4. Surveillance: CDT challenges invasive government policies. CDT is working for strong privacy protections against surveillance on the Internet. We believe that the content of communications, stored information, and transactional data deserve strong legal protection against unreasonable government search and seizure. Protections against government searches should extend to the network, as well as to the home. CDT advocates for stronger legal standards controlling government surveillance to keep pace with the growing exposure of personal information in communications media.
5. Access: CDT is working to foster widely-available, affordable access to the Internet. We believe that broad access to and use of the Internet enables greater citizen participation in democracy, promotes a diversity of views, and enhances civil society. We work for public policy solutions that maximize, in a just and equitable fashion, the unique openness and accessibility of the Internet and preserve its vision as it evolves with ever more powerful broadband technologies.
6. Democratic Participation: CDT is pioneering the use of the Internet to enhance citizen participation in the democratic process, and to ensure the voice of Internet users is heard in critical public policy debates about the Internet. CDT believes that the Internet provides unique and effective means of promoting democracy and of facilitating grassroots organizing and public education. We support using the Internet to afford citizens the immediate, broad access to government information necessary to the full practice of democracy.